CRRU | INTRODUCTION | FEDERAL ROLE |  THE BIG PICTURE | THE LONG VIEW |  NOTES AND REFERENCES 
Early childhood care and education in Canada: Provinces and territories 1998

Early childhood care and education in Québec
Planning and development Provincial context Legislation History Related services Planning and development Standards and regulation Space statistics Provincial context Child care services Provincial official responsible for child care Legislation Recent developments History Standards and regulation Children with special needs Child care services Key provincial organization Recent developments Municipal role Administration Funding Standards and regulation Aboriginal child care Children with special needs
Administration PQ


MFE is responsible for setting standards and regulations, administration of the legislation, administration of grants, and coordination of the child care system across the province.

Le ministère de l’education is responsible for school-age child care services. These are provided by school boards for children attending kindergarten or elementary school.

 
Municipal role PQ

Municipalities may no longer hold licenses to operate child care facilities.

 
Child care planning and development PQ

Québec uses a province-wide planning process, les conseils régionaux de développement, with representation from municipalities, social services, and child care organizations, which sets priorities by region.

The Québec government has a policy which favours the development of child care services that are controlled by user-parents. MFE licenses (permits) new child care services as the requirements of the Act and Regulations are met.

 
Related services PQ


KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL CARE (MINISTRY OF EDUCATION)

Enrollment 1996-97 103,149
Average annual expenditure per student k-gr.12 (1996) $7,372

Kindergarten is available for all 5-year-olds, and effective September 1997, operates on a full-school day basis. Enrolment in kindergarten remains voluntary, but children who do attend must participate for the full day. In 1997, more than 98 percent of eligible children were enrolled. 1,600 new classrooms were opened for the implementation of full-day kindergarten in September 1997.

Some part-day kindergarten programs for 4-year-olds, which existed in a few communities to serve high-risk populations before the implementation of the new family policy, continue under the Ministry of Education. The programs are supplemented by half-day child care which is also operated by the Ministry of Education at no charge to the parents.

Kindergarten teachers must hold recognized Québec teaching credentials which may include an ECE specialization.

Out-of-school care (mileu scolaire) (for children in kindergarten and elementary school) is also the responsibility of the Ministry of Education.

COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN - CAPC
(HEALTH CANADA) (1998)
Total number of CAPC projects 217
Number of projects defined by CAPC as child development/preschool programs 50

ABORIGINAL HEAD START (HEALTH CANADA) (1998)

Number of programs off-reserve 7

In 1998, Aboriginal Head Start was expanded to include services for on-reserve as well as off-reserve communities.

OTHER

Proposed maternity and parental leave provisions   The proposed new Parental Insurance Plan has not been implemented, due, in part, to ongoing negotiations with the federal government. Highlights of the proposal contained in the Québec Government 1997 publication New elements of the family policy, and somewhat amended during the 1998 election campaign include payment for:

  • 18 weeks maternity leave for new mothers, which may begin up to 16 weeks before the expected date of delivery;

  • 3 weeks leave for fathers;

  • 7 weeks parental leave which can be taken by either parent or shared between them;

  • 12 weeks adoption leave which can be taken by either parent or shared between them;

  • an extended 26 week parental leave for a third or subsequent child, at a flat rate of $100/week, during which time the recipient would be permitted to work up to 20 hours/week;

In addition:

  • eligibility for maternity benefits would be extended to self-employed women;

  • eligibility for maternity benefits would require only a minimum of $2,000 in earned income in the preceding 52 weeks;

  • benefit levels would be increased from the current 55% of a maximum of $39,000 annual insurable earnings, to 70% of a maximum $51,000; and

  • the current 2 week waiting period would be eliminated.

In order to fund the program, $390 million of current employer and employee contributions would have to be redirected from the federal Employment Insurance Program, and self-employed individuals would make contributions.

It should be noted that Québec provides considerable unpaid leaves. (See PROVINCIAL CONTEXT.)

 
  QUÉBEC   1  2   3   4   5   6

 INTRODUCTION | FEDERAL ROLE  | THE BIG PICTURE | THE LONG VIEW  | NOTES AND REFERENCES

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